The Flag of Norway Is shaped as a red rectangle with a blue cross bordered in white. Frederick Meltzer was designed in 1821.
The cross present on the Norwegian flag has one arm shorter than the other (to the left), although both reach the edges of the rectangle.
This cross refers to Christianity (although the country is mostly Protestant), but it also symbolizes relations with Sweden.
It is a flag inspired by Denmark. In fact, its design does not differ much of the one of the flags of other Nordic countries. Including the Scandinavian cross.
However, it differs from several overseas British territories, where none of its overseas territories (Bouvet Island, Queen Maud Land and Peter I Island) has in its upper left corner the flag of Norway.
History of the Norwegian flag
For almost 300 years (1536-1814), Norway and Denmark used the same flag as annexed kingdoms.
After their separation, Norway continued using the same flag but with a Norwegian lion in its upper left corner.
It was Frederick Meltzer, a Norwegian parliamentarian, who designed the Norwegian flag in 1821. However, it was 77 years before it was adopted as an official flag.
From its inception until 1838, it was only used in the northern seas to avoid setbacks with North African pirates.
For that reason, the ships showed the Swedish flag when traveling to the south of Cape Finisterre (Spain).
Already in 1838 the king authorized the use of the Norwegian flag throughout the world. From there, until 1899, the merchant navy of Norway used the flag with the"Symbol of Union"with Sweden.
And it was in 1899 when it was raised for the first time as an independent patriotic symbol next to that of Sweden. However, it became a national symbol of Norway in 1905.
Norway Flag Symbology
The red, white and blue colors of the Norwegian flag represent freedom.
That freedom may be a reflection of the independence desires of the Norwegian people that materialized in the early twentieth century.
Although these colors also represent a pair of nations with which Norway shares its history: Denmark (the red) and Sweden (the blue).
One flag, eight flags
There are those who claim that the flag of Norway contains in itself the one of eight different countries: Finland, San Marino, Poland, Indonesia, Monaco, Thailand, the Netherlands, Paraguay (without the shields) and France.
Of course, this is if you take only a small segment of the Norwegian pavilion in each case.
The flag of Iceland has the same colors as Norway, so it also has almost the same amount of flags"inside"its design, but also includes those of Costa Rica and England.
References
- Flags (s / f). Norway. Recovered from: banderas-mundo.es.
- Crouch, Alex (2015). Flag of Norway: The mother of all flags. Retrieved from: flaginstitute.org.
- Flagpedia (s / f). Norway. Retrieved from: flagpedia.net.
- [Links] Norway, the flag with eight other flags inside it. Recovered from: fronterasblog.com.
- Roaldset, Ida (2014). Important dates in Norwegian history. Retrieved from: blog.friskbrisrc.com.
- Norwegian Republic (2010). Patriotic symbols. National flag. Retrieved from: repnoruega.blogspot.com.
- Sparrow, Thomas (2016). Why Norway is flying the flag of peace in Colombia. Retrieved from: bbc.com.